UPDATE: Vanderbilt University to stop gender transition surgery on minors

Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) agreed to pause all gender transition surgeries performed on minors after an exposé by Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh on its Pediatric Transgender Clinic drew national attention.

VUMC announced the decision in an Oct. 7 letter to Tennessee Representative Jason Zachary, stating that the clinic would “pau[se] gender affirmation surgeries on patients under age 18” while it completes an internal clinic review on treating underage patients.

VUMC declined to comment.

[RELATED: Yale’s Pediatric Gender Program treats toddlers: viral video]

Walsh tweeted the news the same day, stating that the “fight is far from over but this will save children from mutilation and abuse.”

UPDATE: here is the letter Vanderbilt sent to state legislators. Notice the wording at the end. They promise to comply with whatever regulations are imposed. They’ve already conceded the legislative fight. This win is even bigger than we thought. pic.twitter.com/VkKhuiHTUO

— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) October 7, 2022

The VUMC letter claimed that the clinic review will also serve to assure the clinic complies with new guidances established by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health. 

The new report, released Sept. 6, states that surgical treatment decisions should be “made carefully” due to the lack of studies on long-term effects.

“Despite the slowly growing body of evidence supporting the effectiveness of early medical intervention, the number of studies is still low, and there are few outcome studies that follow youth into adulthood,” the report reads. “Therefore, a systematic review regarding outcomes of treatment in adolescents is not possible.”

VUMC also agreed to “comply with any new requirements” established by the General Assembly (GA) in the upcoming legislative session. TN passed a flurry of laws regulating child transitioning in 2021, one of which prohibits providing hormone treatment to prepubescent children.

Zachary, who led a coalition of six GA members in a letter prompting VUMC to cease its activity in September, announced the update on Twitter, stating:

*Vanderbilt Medical Update
I’m pleased to report that we’ve heard back from VUMC & they have agreed to pause gender transition surgery on minors.
Additionally, they will always honor conscientious objectors.
We appreciate VUMC’s response to the @tnhousegop deep concerns.
1/

— Rep. Jason Zachary (@JasonZacharyTN) October 7, 2022

The letter accused the clinic’s practice of “qualify[ing] as nothing less than abuse.”

[RELATED: Transgender activist urges children to ‘learn’ about transitioning ‘at a very young age’]

“My colleagues and I in the Tennessee General Assembly are alarmed by recent reports from the Daily Wire detailing the surgical mutilations of minor children at Vanderbilt University Medical Center,” the letter read. 

VUMC defended its services and clarified that all clinic patients were at least 16 years old and none received genital surgery.

The clinic, however, provided an average of 5 patients per year with “transgender care,” VUMC claimed.

VUMC’s letter also sought to clarify statements made by Dr. Shayne Taylor, who works for the clinic, who claimed gender transitioning surgery is a “big money maker” due to the number of procedures required.

VUMC assured no state or federal funds are used for the procedures and disputed the claim, saying the revenue accrued is “an immaterial percentage.”

“Comments from videos posted to social media that are obtained at [conferences] should not be construed as statements of VUMC policy,” the letter reads. 

Campus Reform contacted Taylor and Jackson for comment. The best effort was made to contact Walsh. This article will be updated accordingly.

Follow @Alexaschwerha1 on Twitter.